A Way Out
by Olympian Heroes
Summary: Rated M, because I'm paranoid that I'll get in trouble. X'D And by the way... I'm terrible at summaries. Anyways, four unlikely friends meet, and only danger, love and a super evil sorcerer follow in their wake.
1. Hazel: Thoughts, Dreams, and Lies

**Hey! Olympian Heroes here! Thanks to all those who at least checked out my story X'D Kidding. Sorry- I'm just a little tweensey bit cwazy. Anyways...Without further or do!**

**P.S-I know that some of the names are from the Percy Jackson and The Heroes of Olympus, but I plan on changing those.**

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If you don't believe in mystical things, give up on this now. For starters, I am a 16 year old girl with OCD. I live on a farm at the foot of a massive mountain where I go when I need silence and time to . . . think. Yeah, think. My day began in a dream, really.

I was at the edge of a pond, with cat-tails and tall grasses surrounding it. The sudden urge came onto me in a rush: wanting to frolic and splash all over in the pond.

But that's just not good enough. I want more water. I need more dirt. A silhouette of a person whom I had never seen before stood in the distance and stood just across the water. He gradually moved his hands up, palms out, and leaned his head down, as if in deep concentration. The water from the shining, mysterious lake and the dew drops on the leaves of the apple orchard slowly rose into the air, suspended, waiting for a command. I raised my hands in the same fashion as the silhouette to see what she could do. Balling her right fist, the dew hissed through the air and trees, condensing into a pathetic floating puddle. In anger at how poorly she could concentrate, she slammed her palm face down, and the water pierced the ground, making a deep pool. She twirled her left hand in a circle, and chunks of dirt came from all around her and hailed into the water.

* * *

My bedroom door clicked open and a cheery voice echoed through my practically empty room, chasing away dream. "Hey, sis! Time for breakfast! The farm's not gonna take care of itself!"

"Get out of my room!" I slammed the door and opened it again. "And don't tell me what to do!"

I reached to my back where a little birthmark the shape of a tiger rests. A sharp pain is coursing through my body, but starting at the birthmark. I get that occastionally. But it's usually when I first wake up. I let my mind wander to my dream, but it's already fading from my mind.

So anyways, the annoying kid who just woke me up? That's my half-brother Eucalyptus. He's like me in numerous ways, but without the Obsessive Compulsive part. We're both six plus ten, only a couple months apart. He's inhumanly stealthy, and brilliant at persuasion. I think his parents were wealthy and famous, but it's hard to tell. How should I know? We were both adopted around the same time, and my mum hasn't told us much other than, "Go pick up apples," when we asked about it. Lazily, I pulled on my blue flower printed dress with an apron, and groomed myself in the tiny, scratched up mirror.

My curly black hair billowed out from underneath my bonnet and cascaded down my back. I have been letting my hair lengthen out since Meghan, my step-mum, sliced it off at shoulder length when I was 13. It now reached the middle of my back. My tan face and arms looked darker than ever, due to the hotter, sunnier days.

Pulling on my work boots, I hopped to the stairs on one leg, struggling to yank on my left boot. Finally managing myself, I started clunking down the stairs.

Meghan glanced up at me from the corner of her eye, disapproval clearly etched about her face.

"You should wear something more womanly. You look like your brother," Meghan said through chops of green onion.

I ignored her and grabbed a fancy wooden plate and slopped on some odd, clumpy looking oatmeal. I shrugged my shoulders and strode to the table and plunked down. After a quick prayer to Almighty God, I shoveled the slop into my mouth, in hopes of escaping too many jobs from my mum.

My mother was busying herself with an uncooperative hair pin that kept bending in the wrong place. She stuggled with the little metal pin, and I quickly stode outside, hoping she wouldn't notice. I frisked across the tall grass to the barn and took care of my Thoroughbred mare, Mystic. Once I was back to the house, sure enough, "Go pick up apples," immediately came out of my mums mouth. Ugh. That's seems to be all my mother says to my brother and I.

Always work, and more work.

I trudged outside and swiped the wooden bucket and sluggishly walked towards the grassy area littered in apples.

My best friend, and my only one at that, Annabeth strode up to me with a smile that would blind just about anybody. I looked away, not in a cheery mood.

"Hey! You free today?" her chocolatey voice rang out, as if this were going to be the best day. But something about her made me think she might be hiding something. The tone in her voice was off a little. I became suspicious and tried to act cool about it.

"Can't." I said in a smooth voice. She glanced over to see Euc emerging from the barn, and froze.

She frowned. "Hey. Could you fetch the cart for us, Euc?" She evasively tipped her head at Euc without looking at him, ensuring she didn't want to be with him.

Eucalyptus put on a glum, fake smile, and swiped up a bucket. " 'Course. I might as well, since I'm used to fetching things. For other people." I thought I heard him mumble something about nobody liking him as he walked back towards the barn.

"Okay, Euc," I replied in a careless yawn. Pronouncing his full name took too much effort. So he shortened it, though few people took notice to him.

"Let's talk. Shall we, Annabeth?" I said nudging her with my elbow.

"What?" Annabeth said, turning from Eucalyptus, with a resentful frown. "Oh. Sure," she pointed to me and smiled. "The apples! Of course. Silly me."

"Yuh-huh." Annabeth scowled thoughtfully, shoving me with her bucket. "C'mon. We haven't got too long before Mr. Bothersome returns.

So we trudged along for a while, our dresses swishing across the grass, my boots peeking out from behind the fabric eith each step. Annabeth looked down to the ground as if contemplating something, deep in thought.

Despite my curiosity, I decided to leave her to it this time, considering all the other times I've nagged her for her thoughts.

We came to the apple trees and knelt down to pick up the apples on the ground. The apple orchard was so vast that we couldn't pick up all the apples before the majority of them began to turn to mush. So most of them were brown, small, and gooey. Not all of them stayed together when they thumped into the bucket. Annabeth turned toward me, earnestly looking me in the eyes and said, "I need to tell you something. It's very important."

I looked at her, "Sure, anything... Has it got to do with Euc?" I asked seriously, the corners of my mouth dipping. I knew she didn't like him much, but she really ought to try harder.

"No." She glanced at the ground, then back at me, "But have you been seeing things lately? Like, having strange dreams that you can't decipher? But when you try to remember it, it's already gone?" I looked at her, surprised, and to myself, thought, _How did she know?_ I admitted that I had had unexplainable dreams, and that they seemed to be getting more frequent and harder to hold on to after waking up.

She leaned closer.

Purposefully avoiding my eyes, she looked cautiously toward the house, and said in a whisper, "I just had to make sure first," She exhaled deeply, leaning in, and breathed in my ear, "I wat to escape. . .I _need_ to escape. And, well, I was pondering over it and, wondered, if you, um, would come too." She rushed on, "Don't speak of this to Euc, though!" I stared intently into her eyes, willing her to understand that I wouldn't breathe a word. She nodded and rocked back onto her heels and sighed, obviously relieved.

"I am quite tired having to slave for my mother. Or should I even call her that. As far as I'm concered, she doesn't even love me. At least, that's what _I _think. 'Make sure you clean the house, pull the weeds, muck the horse pen, and feed slop to the pigs' ". Annabeth copied her mother's voice most perfectly in her slightly British accent.

I used an old brown apple as a stress reliever, squeezing it tightly. "Exactly my point!" I exclaimed, spraying my face with apple mush. "All my mum ever tells me to do is pick up mushy old apples. I certainly want to tag along with you." She looked at me, waiting. "Since you're my friend and all," I added. She seemed to like that answer better and we locked eyes.

We slapped hands together, cleaned my face, and Euc arrived with the horse.

"Oh man. Here comes Euc." Annabeth looked down, resentfully picked up three apple and plopped them in her bucket, mulling over the conversation that just took place.

Annabeth and I exchanged looks.

"Hello, ladies," said Euc. He was leading a young stallion of a dark gorilla grey coat into the orchard of apple trees, pausing in front of me. "Well, you look like you've barely started," he looked down at us and raised an eyebrow. The stallion named Ace looked around eagerly. He pranced from hoof to hoof, his nostrils flaring with excitement.

I squinted, and lightly shook my head. _I won't tell_, I reassured her with over exaggerated expressions.

Euc noticed, but seemed to have matters of his own to worry about.

"Uh, Hazel?" He asked, nervously.

"Yeah, Euc?" I hesitated.

He looked at the horse for a while, then down to the ground. "Uh, where should I put him?"

"Well, perhaps" I said, stressing each mocking syllable, "where we could use the wagon. Seriously?! Nah. . . let's put him by the river to the west of us. . . "

My voice dripped with sarcasm, a cup would be instantly filled to the brim. I snorted. Sometimes Euc just doesn't think. Annabeth suppressed a giggle by covering her mouth, and immediately nudged me.

_That was a good one!_

Euc shot daggers at me with his intense sky blue eyes. You could tell that he was trying to come up with a clever comeback that would impress some certain girl present _ahem_, but he doesn't really have a brain so it didn't work too well.

He gave up sooner than he usually does, and kicked the grass. " Whatever." Was all he could come up with.

He swiftly strode over to a tall apple tree and tied the rope on the branch. The stallion lazily reached up in the tree and pulled down a slightly rotten apple and began to slowly crunch away.

The excitement previously shown in his face slowly fizzled out. His interest was completely lost when he knew that we weren't going to take him out on an epic adventure through the woods that we so rarely have time for.

We had only done so once before, and were thoroughly berated after.

Euc shuffled from foot to foot and swung his right leg out in front of him across the grass.

He cleared his throat, "So, I heard Mum say something very unnerving when I walked past the cottage when I was sent to retrieve the horse. Mum was negotiating to a scruff-talking stranger, telling the man that she was going to . . . " his voice faltered, and he looked down to the ground, seeming shaken up. I was beginning to get worried, but he interrupted me before I could interrogate him. "She wants to sell us," he said bluntly.

Annabeth made a face and passed out, her head landing in her bucket of apples.

My eyes got the size of saucers at this news, and my heart skipped a few beats. All I could say before I lost my breakfast was, "_Wot!?_" and put a precious coating on a lot of lucky apples.

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**Ha! I like ice cream! Weeelll then. Sorry, that was random. But this is only my second story, so it's okay, but I know that after working on it awhile, I feel like the first few chapters are not as fantastical as the later ones. Aw, shucky darn! Please review and tell me what I can fix, or send me a PM if anything is hard to understand, I can** **help you out.**

**-Your Own Personal Crazy Writer-Friend**


	2. Euc: The Truth

**Funny thing about this story is, I had originally started writing it with my best friend, Sarah, about 2 years ago. And about October, 2013, I found it and thought that'd I'd just read it. There were 34 chapters total, but they were like, 400 words a chapter, so they were really small. Anyways, the first chapter was OK. It didn't have a lot of detail, but it was okay. So I kept reading, and as I progressed...Let's just say that it was absolutely ****_awful_****. The plot totally changed and none of it made sense and there was almost no description details, ****_at all_****. Seriously. There was a part that said, "There was a fight. And it was gruesome." I read that and I was like, "I could've made that into a whole new chapter with all the information I could've said about the fight! But I made two simple sentences instead!" So yeah. It sucked. I took it and deleted 33 of the 34 chapters, and started off from there. There were some clever parts, and I kept those, but other than that, I burned the whole thing. So, um...yeah.**

**I love you all who enjoyed my previous chapter! **

**Enough of the boring words- Onto the chapter!**

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_**L**__et me re-cap what happened while the girls talked about something-or-other._

_I was passing alongside the homestead with one of our work horses when I heard a gruff voice in deep conversation with mum at the opposing corner of the house. _

_I stopped in my tracks, my heart starting to race; Mum never talked to anyone. I backed up the horse so they could neither see nor hear us. The rising sun brought out the beautiful gloss in the stallion's charcoal mane._

_I caught a couple of words like, "Sell them all... Rascals... Countless wealth..." and something about Mum's mental problems going away. Tell you what, the only reason she has mental problems is because this liar of a man convinced her she was hallucinating, and then her brain does the rest of the work. And, by jove, he was sure to sugarcoat the deal by making us sound like the most dirty, lowdown thieves and scoundrels there ever was, and how she would be ever so richly rewarded with the finest jewels._

_Of the few words I did hear, each one was as sudden and startling as a slamming door through a thick fog._

_The stranger stroked Mum's hair and she rested her hand on his, squeezing tightly. What is this filth doing to my mother?! She frowned with a look of pain and stared into the distance, slowly cocking her head to a nearly unnatural angle. The offender took this as an opportunity to wince and make faces like he wished he had taken up any other job in the world._

_He immediately recomposed himself as Mum continued negotiating what to do with our lives. He went on about he had to take us to his Master, and that she would be paid grandly. The only payment that I could think of was death. And that wasn't a very heart-warming choice either. I brought myself back to the conversation._

_"They're are dangerous," he warned. "Once they're stong enough, they'll take over you and hurt or even kill you."_

_Dangerous? I thought. I can barely even lift a sword. Whatever._

_"How?" My mum asked. "How could they be? They're just children. They couldn't do anything to me if they tried."_

_"They have powers. Evil magic. You can't trust them. You'll have to hand them over soon, or they might learn of their powers too quickly. And they even had powerful parents.."_

_His voice went a bit quieter, and I couldn't hear easily anymore._

_Okay. This guy is crazy. I thought._

_I continued to listen to this man, and wondered how my mother could even fall for this. I barely escaped his glance as I swung around the corner, continuing my trek into the heart of the apple orchards. The two conspirers lowered their voices to a whisper (which only made Mum twice as loud). I decided that once I warned the gals of our imminent doom, we'd have to "fight or flight" as they say. And losing Mum to that lying sorry excuse for a man a'nt NO option._

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After briefly talking it over, Hazel and I decided to head back to the homestead, because we didn't know how fast Mum's transaction could take place. So, we quickly filled the horses' cart to the brim and dumped them in the large pit already full of apples, so Mum wouldn't be suspicious when we got back.

We put the horse back in his stall and. Everyone huddled in the stall in our barn with our mare, Mystic, who was currently in foal. And of course Annabeth scooting farther and farther away until she sat on the other side of the stall with Hazel.

Finally, after moments of silence my sister spoke. "You lie! Mother would never do that! Right?" My sister asked in a severely choked voice, "Right?" she said less confidently.

I just stared at her until her face went completely blank with fear with realization.

"Hazel, can I talk to you now?" Annabeth butted in. She stared at me a moment longer and slipped out the stall leaving me with Mystic. I could hear their voices as they whispered back and forth as if in a heated discussion.

With much hand waving and exasperated faces they came to a conclusion. They both nodded and stood over me, a look of distate as Annabeth glared at me. Mystic's eyes drooped down along with her neck, telling us that she was falling asleep.

Hazel looked directly into my eyes and spoke, "Annabeth and I decided that we are going to. . . run away," she said that last part so quietly I barely heard.

Relief flooded through me like water finally breaking a dam and being let loose.

"Oh. That's spectacular! Because I was gonna tell you the same thing," I said jumping up to stand also, towering a few inched taller than the girls. The look on their faces was absolutely priceless. I headed out of the stall, my fingers trailing along the wood and glanced back.

I burst out laughing, my hand on my chest, which frightened poor Mystic. Her royal blue eyes were barely visible, her pupils taking up most of her eye, giving her the most innocent look. She snorted and turned her hind-quarters my way, her belly bulging out on either side.

* * *

I trotted back to the house to come across a stranger who let a letter float to the porch before galloping off through the woods.

"Hey! Wait! Come back!" I shouted at his retreating form. "Who are you?" I mumbled to myself as his maroon cloak flitted out of view. I strode over to the letter and lifted it carefully between two fingers.

There was no return address, in fact, the front was blank. Curious, I flipped it over to find an unrecognizable red wax seal. A horse rearing back, with a spear through it's chest was what it looked like. I carefully broke the seal and pulled out the paper within. Unfolding it I read,

_Dear Meghan Kingston, acting mother of Eucalyptus Kingston,_

_It is my wish to inform you that your son, Eucalyptus Kingston, has been recruited to the Army of the Royal High King. He shall and will be ready to serve with his life for the King the following week. A carriage shall be prepared and brought to your homestead and he will be picked up. Have him train in what time he has. We expect nothing less._

_If he is not ready at the appointed time, be assured there will be grave consequences! BEWARE!_

_Sincerely, The Royal Army Leader_

I stood there stricken, staring at the open letter. It slipped from my hand and gracefully landed on the step. Shaking myself from my reverie, I snatched up the terrific letter and glared at it. I won't go to war. I have known too many friends (well as close as I can get to friends) to be killed in war. I won't have it. I can't and I won't. I'll-

"Uh, pardon. Sorry. But do you know where Hazel is?" I quickly spun around on my heels to find Annabeth standing with her hands behind her back, and pushing up and down on the balls of her feet.

Swinging my hand with the letter behind my back, I quietly folded it and tried for a smile.

"Er, no. Sorry," was my immediate response.

Her shoulder's slumped and she dragged her feet away to look somewhere else.

I brought the letter back out to look at it.

_Sigh. Why do things have to be so complicated?_

* * *

_Where am I? Let me go back into that blackness. At least there's no pain there. Let me go! Leave me alone..._

_A girls voice breaks my thoughts, words making no sense. I block the voice and return to my mind._

_My name...my name is... What's my name?_

_Miles. That's my name. _

_So much pain._

_I writhe in utter emptiness and pain as blackness takes over my vision for a split second._

_"Miles! Listen! Stay here, everything will be alright... it'll be alright..." the voice said to me. I just want her to leave. But I know that voice. _

_Again, the voice spoke, pleading to stay with her. The memory finally clicked, and I now know it's my sister._

_I open my eyes to find her bright green eyes blurred with her face. Her features just colours tomy eyes. Her hands fly to my face as she cups my cheeks, but my vision goes dark again._

_Aches run through my body, keeping my awake, but I am unable to force my eyes open._

_So cold. Heat is leaving my body, and I'm so cold. I shiver under the heavy covers I feel draped over my frail body, but I don;t care anymore, I just want to go back into unconsciousness._

_I raise my hand, using most of my energy and strike out at the person to leave me alone._

* * *

"Miles!" I sit up in bed, my mind wild. My breathing comes is gasps and the only thought that fills my mind is Miles. He was in my dream. I was Miles... but why?

"Eucalyptus!" a voice yells out to me, and I finally notice Hazel on the floor next to my bed clutching her face.

I hop out of bed and reach for her. She looks at me with terror in her eyes, her hand still covering her face. I peel her hand away to see a bruise start to form on her cheekbone.

I slump back onto a nearby chair, my heart sunken.

_I can't do anything right._

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Ooooh! I got you some chocolate chip cookies for my bestest fans! (::) (::) (::) (::) (::)

**If you have any idea for something, than go ahead and shoot me a PM. Tanks!**

**-Your Cookie Lover**


	3. Annabeth: Packing

**Hey. It me. The most talkative writer ever. Sorry about that last chapter's introduction...Anyways! I kept this short so that I didn't bore you with my words. Chapter three!**

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I woke up to the screeching racket of Root N' Tooten, our friendly rooster. As usual, I picked up a small stone from the pile next to my bed and chucked it out the window.

Missed.

_Cock-a-doodle-DOOO!_

I grabbed another. Missed.

Golly-jee-gosh-darn-fiddle-sticks-jeepers-darn-it-SNAP! I rolled up the window and yelled, telling the rooster to quiet himself, or else. For some reason, it didn't sound normal, but hey. Wonderful silence.

I rubbed the sleep from my stormy grey eyes and sluggishly pulled on my favorite long forest green dress, with a dark rose pink for decorations, prolonging so I didn't have to start work so early. I brushed my tangly brown and blonde hair and coaxed it back into a low bun. Gingerly, I slipped on a matching green bonnet, tying it under my chin.

I plopped down on the bed, yanked on my boots, and thumped to the kitchen where my mum was waiting. I ignored her grumpy stare as her eyes bore into the small of my back. I snatched a white bun from the table and slipped outside.

_Today. . ._ I thought,_ today I will leave this wretched place and finally be free._

I strode over to the large willow tree in my front yard while the cool crisp air, refreshed my lungs. The branches drooped around me in a sad but exotic way. It had obviously rained last night, as the usually dry ground was quite moist. The dew from the trees and grass wafted down and filled my nose with an enticing scent .

Swallowing the last of my bread, I closed my eyes and sang out an old Irish tune a grin spreading across my face. I glided over to the pig pen and danced around it, twirling and letting my voice go free, as if it were captured butterfly eagerly waiting to be let out. The old sow and her new piglets watched me as I sang aloud. The feeling was absolutely mesmerizing, catching me completely off guard.

It was beautiful this time of year. Spring was usually a golden time in our little authentic village surrounded by the Shadow Mountains. The bitter winds that whisked down from above the hills and departed with a soft welcoming breeze laden with the scent of wild country flowers. Clear streams fed by melting snow tumbled out of the heights. The tall grass rippled across the land, bended down from the overnight rain. But the birds and wildlife kept coming back, despite the occasional heavy rain.

I ran off into the wood to the left of our quaint cottage. I stopped as I neared and twirled around with my arms outstretched as I sang a long high note. Not really thinking of where I was going, my feet carrying me. I eventually ended up in a meadow with horses grazing around in pairs or triplets. Slowly munching away on grass and flowers, they stared at me with interested, glazed-over eyes. That fact barely even presented itself as odd to me, so I continued to sing.

I gracefully strided over to the neared fil ly and rubbed under it's chin looking into her eyes as I continued to sprout words and phrases in various notes finally finishing the tune. I felt like I was glowing with so much happiness, my eyes just couldn't sparkle enough.

I rested my hands on my hips feeling satisfied and breathing hard. My head cocked to the side and I let out a hearty, voluminous laugh that echoed throughout the whole meadow.

_Clatter._

I swiveled in surprise around to see Euc, and my best friend Hazel staring at me with complete and utter amazement. A bucket that had once contained water now rolled at their feet as their eyes remained fixed on me. Hazel slowly turned to face her brother and robotically punched Euc on the shoulder for his clumsiness.

My face immediately felt hot, telling me that I was blushing furiously.

"That. Was. A. Mazing." Euc whispered breathlessly to his sister, drawling, his mouth still agape. An awkward silence ensued, but I broke it quickly, pushing the uneasiness away.

* * *

"_What?_ I-well-just-singing! And-that's all-uh . . . People do that all the time, right?" I said, rushed. Euc and Hazel exchanged such puzzled dumbfounded looks, and then slowly turned their attention to me.

"When you sang, you almost didn't sound like yourself, You see," Hazel started to explain.

I furrowed my brow and she continued, "Euc and I were going through the forest to collect fresh water when we heard what we thought was a small group of people singing a popular back time Irish melody. It sounded so beautiful that we _had_ to get closer. As we got nearer to the source of the music, we heard all sorts of different sounds like water, grass, wind in the pines, and horse hooves on the ground, in harmony with the song. Euc and I had just gotten to the top of this hill when we heard you sing that last gorgeous note, sending a chill down our spines." It was now my turn to stare confused while Euc stated the obvious;

"Girl," He studied her with admiring eyes, "You've got a gift." His look unnerved me, and I felt compelled to fall into his ar-no. I shan't think of it.

* * *

Hazel and Euc sat across from my bed, still staring at me in awe as if in a trance. I had snuck them into my bedroom to talk while my mother freshened her look up in their mirror. Euc was now babbling on about how amazing I was. Urgh, he's so annoying. Almost like a little brother, but he's older than me and not my brother. Whoah. Wait. Mind blown.

Anyways, I shushed him with my finger to his lips, and his eyes slowly moved to look at my finger, and he slowly petered out of conversation, heat rising in his cheeks.

"I just- I don't think . . ." Hazel started, "I don't think you understand. I was not in control of my legs and brain-don't laugh-when we heard you singing. I was still conscious, but I couldn't quite control myself. I think we need to . . . " she lowered her voice, "leave. And we need to go through the Shadow. It will be too dangerous to leave through the town. People will wonder why we have our belongings with us." I looked up at Hazel as she finished the last word.

"Every fiber of my being," Euc offered advice with his annoying voice, "tells us we should go. Anywhere. Even if it means going through the Shadow." Hazel nodded in agreement.

I pursed my lips, not liking the idea of Euc coming with us, but eventually, I gave in and nodded, my eyes downcast.

With that, Hazel and Euc left, leaving me staring at my empty bed chamber. We had agreed to meet at the well, with what we want to bring.

Without delaying, I snatched my burlap bag from under the straw mattress and stuffed it with my clothes, but I snuck in my one beautiful dress that my Da had given me, before he passed away. I fingered the pale cloth with gentle care.

Then the memories came.

* * *

_"Come here! Come on! It's okay, she won't hurt you," said Da as he held out his rough hand to me._

_I sheepishly looked up from under the hem of the dress that I pulled up to my face. Crouching in front of me was a baby rabbit nibbling on the tall meadow grass that swayed back and forth around me and Da._

_"Ooo!" My little 5 year old voice squeaked as my small hands dropped the dress and my fingers gently scooped up the brown bunny. It sniffed my hand and snuggled up close to me burrowing it's face into the folds of my dress._

The scene shifted.

_A boy around the same age as me tugged on my wrist, urging me to follow. Giving in, I followed him. He looked back with an eager expression. But his face was fuzzy, and I can't remember who it is. We raced through a pasture full of grazing cattle and hopped the fence. We stopped in front of a little pond and my eyesight blurred. When I focused again, I was behind a waterfall in a little cave. How I had gotten there, I didn't know. The thirteen-ish boy looked at me with a kind smile that said he was mischievous. My face slid into a smile too. His little dimple on the left side of his mouth became visable. And soon we were both laughing hysterically, bent over, happy tears streaming down our faces._

_I didn't quite remember this. Almost like this memory was taken, but now it trying to come back to next thing surprised me as the scenes shifted through my mind._

_I started to tease him like I usually do about how handsome he is and put my finger on his chest, slightly shoving him in a freindly way._

_His hand reached out and landed on my hips. Pulling me closer, he bent down and planted his lips on my cheek, a little too near my mouth, his lips landing partly on mine._

_My body went rigid and my muscles strained to not hit him as my hand itched, ready to swing. "What are you doing?" I asked in a stiff voice._

_He blinked and realized what he had done. "Oh forgive me! Please, Annabeth, you're so beautiful, I couldn't help myself," the stranger pleaded with me._

_I shook my blonde hair violently, tugging back my hands that had somehow gotten into his. Words tried to come out of my mouth, but I didn't trust my voice. We were supposed to friends. Nothing more. I swung around and stumbled around, fear shrouding my vision, breathing hard, and gasping for air. I was sure I was about to give in. I _knew _I was going to. I had to leave. This wasn't what it was supposed to be like..._

"Annabeth! Come back! Please!...Please..." he called his hand reached out in front of him, as if doing that would bring me back.

The scene changed yet again.

_"No! Please, please, don't take him!" I was screaming at the guards that mercilessly hauled and tugged on my Da. They were taking him away from us. They weren't allowed to do this. It isn't right!_

I turned away, not able to look at him with the desperation clear on his face. As I looked the other way, a figure moved out from the shadows of my house. **He** _was there. He looked helplessly as my father was being dragged away, his feet dragging in the sand, rousing the dust. I called his name over and over, pleading for his to help. But he just shook his head and shrunk back into the shadows._

I made a move to run for my father but mum held me back, tears flowing down her cheeks, as well as my brothers.

"Just stay with Mum!" He pleaded. He stopped struggling and turned to mom. "Take care of her! I'll be back from the war! Don't worry! I love you!" He yelled back. He stopped struggling and walked with the soldiers, glancing back until he was thrown into the carriage and was taken away.

Defeated, I fell to my knees, my mum still holding onto my wrists. I sobbed there for who knows how long, writhing in utter pain of loss. Because I knew-I knew that he would never come back. He promised he would, but in my heart, I knew he ever would. I watched as he disappeared. And he never did come back, and he never will.

White flashed across my vision and I stumbled, falling onto the bed. Solemnly folding the dress, I laid it under my moccasins.

I shouldered the bag, and opened the door and left, without looking back.

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**Hey. I actually had tears in my eyes as I wrote those memories. I'm so pound of them though. I like them a lot. Thanks to all my readers!**

**I need some help with a name of the story. I've named it Escape, but really, I think that name is so ****_boring. _****So if you have any suggestions, don't be afraid to offer it to me. Thanks so much!**


	4. Brandon: Problems

**Hey Followers and Likers! Thanks for reading this! So, this new chapter is a bit different. A new character, and I hope that you wont freak out about it. So many things are going through my head when writing this, I sometimes don't realize that my brain is going faster than my hands. So if you don't understand something, then shoot my a PM. Thanks!**

**Now for the next chapter!**

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_With his bow and arrow pulled taught, he crouched in the underbrush, the arrow aimed at a young doe. Dinner. He pulled back the string, ready to shoot. At the creaking of the old wood, the doe lifted her little head, her large ears perked up, swiveling around listening itently. The young man dared neither move nor breathe._

_The boy squinted one eye and snapped the string, the arrow sliced through the air. The frightened deer bound off into the wood, its ears back and it's fluffy, white tail in the air as if mocking him. But just as she turns, he sees a red sash of blood across the brown coat on her chest. The arrow barely missed its mark. _

_Anger surged through him. The dry leaves beside him engulf in flames, causing him to jump away in surprise. Quickly he smothers the flames with his boot. He invented scenarios in his mind, giving him ideas about what the did if the they ever found out that he almost burned down their only source of food: the Shadow Woods. Stoned to near death? Shot? Maimed? Jailed? He shuddered. Or worst: drafted. Don't go there. He was sure to put out every smoking leaf._

_Grimly, he thought to himself, "Vegetables and old meat tonight, I guess." And he snuck off into the night, heading to no where in particular. His form camouflaged perfectly to his surroundings._

* * *

My name is Brandon Felton. I lived with my poor Mother and Father and baby sister.

Lived.

They died when the cottage caught on fire in the dead of night. I was the only one that survived. No one really knows how or why this all happened. It was sudden and short, and I've blocked out most of it, refusing to think of that dreadful night. I was ten when it happened. . . I'm over it now. Sixteen years of age and living . . . well, no where really. I travel and don't spend much time in one place.

I am known as a fugitive; the one who is believed to have murdered my parents and sister. The villagers and street gangs call me Scar Felton. As I have a jagged, shallow gash starting at the corner of my eye, and runs out to the side a little to the side. I have nothing to do with Mum and Da and poor Willo's deaths, but of course no one listens to me. That scar would be proof that I tried to save them.

* * *

Sitting in my home-made stick hut, I chowed down on the last of my carrot. I'd like to say that I am good-looking, but to be honest, I don't really know. Having lived in the forest for 6 years, ha-ha, yeah, no. I have never really had an education, so my speech is like a street gang slang. I also tend to make my own words up, but, who's gunna know about them if I'm running from everyone.

Pushing my messy dark brown, un-brushable hair out of my face, I got ready to go to any other safe place. My eyes scanned the nearby area, searching for any danger that might spring out at me. Apparently, my eyes tend to change from sea-green to sky blue to cat-like yellow, or so I am told. I have strong arms for lifting heavy logs and carrying home my meals. Muscular legs for chasing prey, and the long walks from one place to another.

Pulling my bow over my back and arrows into my quiver, I departed for what I didn't know would be life changing. The air was fresh, clean, and brisk. _Ahh._

I followed the deer prints; they usually lead me to fresh water. Instead, it brought me to a little village. I understand it to be called Dragonmir, but I don't stay in villages for more than 2 days to actually remember each name.

I walked through the cobblestone streets, hiding in the shadows gazing at the cute little wooden houses. Smoke billowed from the chimneys, lamps lit on their oak porches. All of them looked so comfy and cozy. I felt an emotional twinge, but it was hard to put my finger on. Was it longing? Jealousy?

I was taken out of my daze by a teenage girl about my age with long, curly blonde hair zipping gracefully around villagers, with a happy but determined look on her face. She would grab the hands of a little boy, no older that 10 winters, and spun and danced with him, until moving to another man of 16 winters. She grabbed the hands of the various men and women, and brought them together to dance. Clapping hands, swinging legs, and waving arms moved to the beat of feet stomping and her voice-that magical voice- and smiling faces all around. She spots me from my hiding spot and drags me to the dancing circle of people. I'm eye the girl greedily, but she didn't seem to notice as we danced around.

She was singing an old Celtic tune that I learned from my mother every time she put me to bed. It was the one that I still sung in my head when I felt pain and longing to hear mum sing it just one more time.

She looked back at the gathering crowd, now continuing the song, twirling a few more times, her eyes full of light, and darted into the woods, and instantaneously disappeared inside. Not exactly knowing what I was doing-my brain is a bit fuzzy- I followed her deep into the forest.

* * *

I found myself staring at the girl as she spun and jumped and frolicked around most gracefully in a open valley. It seemed as if I lost control of my thoughts, and was put in a trance. I wanted to go straight up to her and offer my service to protect her, and it took every fiber of my being to restrain. At long last, she reached the end of her song, panting a little and handling a small filly with gentle hands. I caught my breath, and broke from my trance, suddenly aware of precisely where I was. Tears glistened in the corners of my eyes, threatening to flow down my cheeks at remembering my mum and the old bedtime song.

_Clatter! Crash! Bang! Sploosh!_

_Moo!_

A copper-skinned, chocolate-haired girl turned to the blond-haired boy standing next to her, held up her fist, and punched him for being so clumsy.

"That. Was. Amazing." Blonde Boy said, holding out each syllable, voicing my opinion.

The clang of the bucket echoed across the meadow and through the woods. I stared like an idiot, my eyes wide. The mysterious Princess's eyes shone with excitement, but changed to sheer surprise as her cheeks flushed the color of a deep rose. "_What?_ I-well-just-singing! And-that's all-uh . . . People do that all the time, right?"

We all stood gaping, me sheltered by the trees and bushes, and the lad and girl on a small hill, while Princess shifted awkwardly from foot to foot. "Gosh, guys. Euc, why are you panting?" she demanded. She rushed her words, trying to avoid attention, which was impossible. A strong, young, light-haired man exchanged looks with a copper-skinned girl, then they both slowly focused their attention directly at me. I ducked just in time.

"When you sang, you didn't sound quite like yourself. You see . . . " The dark-haired girl began to explain to the pro-blond musician, Princess, while I zoned out, trying to wrap my brain around what all just happened.

The blonde kid, Euc, stumbles slightly over his next words; "Girl," He gazed at her with a new interest, "You've got a gift."

Princess, the singing girl, says, "I think we need to talk. About our next. . . plans." The way she said it, it made it sound like they were planning a murder. She turns her face to the side, trying to avoid eye contact with her friends, assuming they were her friends.

The three of them walked awkwardly through the forest. I don't know what made me do it, but I followed them. I felt like a complete stalker. But I also felt they were in danger, and I wanted to do was to do something right in my miserable life.

_Well_, I thought, _they _could _be planning to set someone's life right_. In the grave. That brought a frown to my lips. Creeping along the underbrush, I crouch-walked along side them in utter silence. I was growing in my ability to follow, and that brought the corners of my mouth to lift.

* * *

After listening to the conversation I sunk down under the window, my back against the rough wood. Good news: No was going to be hushed with the end of their life. Bad news: I knew they would never survive in the forest, the Shadow, in which they were trying to escape, when I have faced so many countless life threatening experiences in the same forest. I have two options: help them, or leave them to die in the Shadows.

I made a hasty decision, choosing the easy one. This was going to be interesting...

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**What's up Interweb? You're favorite writer here! So if you have any comments or ideas, leave them in the reviews, and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. And some cookies for my fav. people:) (::) (::) (::) (::)**

**-You're Ice-Cream Lover Writer**


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